諺語 · a single proverb
花開花落自有時
Simplified: 花开花落自有时
What does 花開花落自有時 (huā kāi huā luò zì yǒu shí) mean?
花開花落自有時 (huā kāi huā luò zì yǒu shí) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "Flowers bloom and fall, each in its own time." In use it means: Every natural process has its own timing that cannot be rushed or delayed by human will. Blooming and withering are equally natural, equally necessary parts of the cycle. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "Flowers bloom and fall, each in its own time.."
The reading
Rushing a flower to open tears the petals. Preventing one from falling only prolongs a form that has already finished its purpose. The hardest kind of wisdom is trusting that timing you did not choose may be the right timing after all. Acceptance of natural rhythm is not passivity but a deeper form of participation.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Classical poetic expression, widely used in Buddhist and Daoist philosophical texts
Sits beside
冬至陽生春又來
dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái
At the darkest moment of winter, yang energy is reborn and spring begins its return.
夜長夢多
yè cháng mèng duō
Delay leads to complications.
太公釣魚，願者上鉤
tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu
The best way to attract people is not through trickery but through genuine worth.
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 花開花落自有時 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 花開花落自有時 (huā kāi huā luò zì yǒu shí) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Classical poetic expression, widely used in Buddhist and Daoist philosophical texts. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 花開花落自有時?
In Mandarin it is huā kāi huā luò zì yǒu shí. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 花開花落自有時 aloud in Mandarin.